What are my chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Swarthmore College
1

<p>Hey guys, I'm new to this whole discussion board thing, but here are my stats. Tell me what you think: (Swarthmore is my #1 choice, but I couldn't apply ED)</p>

<p>Hispanic female from NC
private high school- total twist of fate that I came here-day student in a 80% boarding school of 240
GPA: cumulative something like 4.41 (the highest possible is 4.6. I don't think anyone realizes how hard our classes are.)
SAT: 750 W, 770 CR, 700 Math
SATIIs: 800 Spanish, 800 US History, 740 Math IC, and 3 other sucky ones
APs: European History-5, US History-5, Chemistry-5, Spanish Lang- 5, Spanish Lit- 5, English Lit -5</p>

<p>Straight A's/A+'s until AP Chem's A-
Current classes:
AP Physics B
AP Calc AB
AP English V (I went from English I to english III and US History as a sophomore, those are the classes that juniors take. I got the book prize in english and had the school's highest GPA- 4.5 that year. I was second ranking last year with 4.44 weighted and 3rd ranking as a freshman with 4.3. we aren't very generous with extra credits, honors and ap both only get .1 added.</p>

<p>Independent Study in Spanish Lit (I write papers and read books in spanish since I've taken all the spanish at school)</p>

<p>Intro to art/music - graduation requirement that sophomores usually do bc they are in eng 2 and not 3</p>

<p>ECs: Student Body vice president, head of school newspaper (I do 75% of all the work in everything- from planning to layout to..well..everything)- cross country captain and 7 seasons of XC/Track, all conference, school's honor council (only 6 selected/year), climbing team, proctor</p>

<p>Community service: various hours with the school/mission trip to mexico in 2004/(yeah, this is my weak point), peer tutoring</p>

<p>Summers: NC Governor's School- one of main editors of newspaper here, Mexico</p>

<p>Academic honors: Cum Laude, NMerit Finalist, Cocacola semifinalist, pretty much every award my school gives - 6 prizes for highest average in the course, for example--except for the art/music awards. also got sewanee award for excellence in writing, yale book prize, u. of rochester social sciences award, AP scholar with distinction. 1st in class for junior/sophomore year</p>

<p>I wrote my essay on being vegan and another one about my role as a primary translator for a mission trip to mexico.
I also work at Subway on the weekends. NOBODY has time to hold outside jobs at my school.
I could elaborate more...? Oh yeah, I'm hardcore vegetarian/natural foods/social causes activist.
For our school not having a journalism class, I've been trying to teach everyone everything while learning it all myself too....well, before I teach them of course.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You'll probably get in, and I'm pretty sure you know it. If not - you'll just have to settle for Harvard ;-(...</p>

3

<p>You sound like an amazingly strong candidate, I can't imagine you won't be admitted.</p>

4

<p>I don't like to offer guarantees, but I would say that your chances are excellent. Strong academic transcript, combined with working at Subway, combined with your trips to Mexico, combined with being a member of a URM group is pretty solid.</p>

5

<p>it does it does it does</p>

6

<p>saibondy: isn't it a little late for a "chances" request? i thought all rd apps were supposed to be in by early january. also why couldn't you apply ed?</p>

7

<p>hellohowareyou: are you a swat student? you posted a request for suggestions for a safety school in or around june 05, then in january 06 you posted that your friends and yourself don't work near as much as swats reputation leads people to believe. did you get accepted over the summer of 05? if you did, wasn't asking for suggestions for possible safety schools a little late in june 05?</p>

8

<p>You have strong credentials. Were you serious about getting a "likely letter" from Harvard (on the other board)? If so, are you still seriously considering Swarthmore?</p>

9

<p>Blacknblue, like I said I'm new, so I didn't know that people put chances requests before they apply. I have already applied, but I've never gotten outside opinion on my stats.....I couldn't apply ED because I was in the running for the Morehead at UNC and they disallow that since you're also applying early to chapel hill or something.</p>

10

<p>As a Swat grad ('03), I can tell you that Swarthmore places a lot of emphasis on the "why Swarthmore?" essay, but you look like a very strong candidate.</p>

11

<p>saibondy, with your stats, and especially as a urm, you could get in anywhere.</p>

12

<p>"I'm hardcore vegetarian/natural foods/social causes activist."</p>

<p>me too. i hope we both get in</p>

<p>I wrote about veganism in my essay somewhere</p>